I have a tattoo on each forearm, one the image of a turntable, the other a Latin phrase: "Memento mori et memento amor" (Remember death and remember love, or as I choose to translate it, disregarding the literal interpretation for the sake of expediency in relating the meaning of the tattoo, "remember you are mortal and remember that there is love"). The point being that when I acquired these tattoos, I had no intention of involvement in the special operations community. I was informed by my platoon sergeant in AIT that so long as they could not be seen while I wear my class As, there would be no problem. However, as I am now very interested in a potential future in the Special Forces, my concern is that these tattoos could pose as something of an obstacle for me. Does the tattoo policy for SF (explicitly stated or otherwise) differ from that of the regular Army, or am I simply being paranoid. Thank you.

The subject of tattoos and how they are viewed has been discussed here before. The search button is located in the upper right hand corner of the screen you are presently viewing. Start there.

Forgive me if I overlooked a thread, but the only posts that I could find prior to posting a thread of my own (through the "show threads" or "show posts" search using the sole keyword of "tattoo") were those of individuals with potential tattoos or from those who are already SF and received lectures regarding tattoos that they acquired during their time in that particular service (ie SRGross' response), not from conceivable SFAS candidates. If I was ignorant enough to overlook a prior post, I apologize, but looking through the search results once more, I haven't been able to find any posts that address this particular question. Thanks again.

The young man in question asked our opinions about him getting ink and its possible influence on him becoming an SF soldier in the future, somewhat like your question. Several SF soldiers gave their opinions about having one but at no time did anyone tell him that having one would disqualify him from becoming an SF soldier. If having tatt's was going to be a disqualification he would have been told as much...

Given this, the answer to your question is no; the SF policy is the same as Mother Army and having them will not keep you from entering or completing training or being on an ODA. That said having them could very well limit some assignment options.

Hope this covers your question.

Crip

__________________
"It's better to die on your feet than live on your knees."

"Its not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me" -Batman

"There are no obstacles, only opportunities for excellence."- NousDefionsDoc

It does, and I appreciate the response. Having read through that thread prior to my initial post, the advice given to Atilla seemed to pertain to individuals with tattoos denoting service in the United States military and I was simply looking for further clarity regarding my particular circumstances. Thanks once more.

Hopefully I'm not outta my lane here, but being downrange several different times and working around and sometimes with "Group", I've seen alot of full sleeves and just your average ink work on forearms and wrist area and no one on their teams seemed to mind.

Of course never seen a turntable on any of those guys, but hey to each his own. I've got a pretty big web in the bend of my right arm and had it when I went to Selection the first time in Feb. 07 and nothing was said about it then.

Hopefully I'm not outta my lane here, but being downrange several different times and working around and sometimes with "Group", I've seen alot of full sleeves and just your average ink work on forearms and wrist area and no one on their teams seemed to mind.

Of course never seen a turntable on any of those guys, but hey to each his own. I've got a pretty big web in the bend of my right arm and had it when I went to Selection the first time in Feb. 07 and nothing was said about it then.

__________________
Primum non Nocere
"I have hung out in dangerous places a lot over the years, from combat zones to biker bars, and it is the weak, the unaware, or those looking for it, that usually find trouble.

Ain't no one getting out of this world alive. All you can do is try to have some choice in the way you go. Prepare yourself (and your affairs), and when your number is up, die on your feet fighting rather than on your knees. And make the SOBs pay dearly."The Reaper-3 Sep 04

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"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

It has been told that there is a small enclave of primitives practicing the art of tanning skin in Free-Pineland.

It's used to book covers...

Only a rumor, I'm sure, but one never knows...

I have suspected the "Getting Selected..." book, by that Martin fellow,, has a fine cover, with very nice texture...

Quote:

Some of nation's best libraries have books bound in human skin
By M.L. Johnson, Associated Press Writer | January 7, 2006

PROVIDENCE, R.I. --Brown University's library boasts an unusual anatomy book. Tanned and polished to a smooth golden brown, its cover looks and feels no different from any other fine leather.

But here's its secret: the book is bound in human skin.

A number of prestigious libraries -- including Harvard University's -- have such books in their collections. While the idea of making leather from human skin seems bizarre and cruel today, it was not uncommon in centuries past, said Laura Hartman, a rare book cataloger at the National Library of Medicine in Maryland and author of a paper on the subject.

An article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from the late 1800s "suggests that it was common, but it also indicates it wasn't talked about in polite society," Hartman said.

The best libraries then belonged to private collectors. Some were doctors who had access to skin from amputated parts and patients whose bodies were not claimed. They found human leather to be relatively cheap, durable and waterproof, Hartman said.

I have a tattoo on each forearm, one the image of a turntable, the other a Latin phrase: "Memento mori et memento amor" (Remember death and remember love, or as I choose to translate it, disregarding the literal interpretation for the sake of expediency in relating the meaning of the tattoo, "remember you are mortal and remember that there is love"). The point being that when I acquired these tattoos, I had no intention of involvement in the special operations community. I was informed by my platoon sergeant in AIT that so long as they could not be seen while I wear my class As, there would be no problem. However, as I am now very interested in a potential future in the Special Forces, my concern is that these tattoos could pose as something of an obstacle for me. Does the tattoo policy for SF (explicitly stated or otherwise) differ from that of the regular Army, or am I simply being paranoid. Thank you.

~Karthas

Dear Paranoid, if your looking for an excuse to not join SF you've found one. If not then you have the following options.
Option 1, have the tattoos removed and join SF.
Option 2, Stay with the tattoos and still join SF.

I thought a certain amount of body ink was required to make it past E-7 in SF, based on my experiences. lol.

__________________
"This is the law:
The purpose of fighting is to win.
There is no possible victory in defense.
The sword is more important than the shield
and skill is more important than either.
The final weapon is the brain.
All else is supplemental."
-John Steinbeck